Galaxy Magazine

Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L. Gold, who rapidly made Galaxy the leading science fiction (sf) magazine of its time, focusing on stories about social issues rather than technology.

Gold published many notable stories during his tenure, including Ray Bradbury's "The Fireman", later expanded as Fahrenheit 451; Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters; and Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. In 1952, the magazine was acquired by Robert Guinn, its printer. By the late 1950s, Frederik Pohl was helping Gold with most aspects of the magazine's production. When Gold's health worsened, Pohl took over as editor, starting officially at the end of 1961, though he had been doing the majority of the production work for some time.

Under Pohl Galaxy had continued success, regularly publishing fiction by major writers such as Cordwainer Smith, Jack Vance, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Silverberg. However, Pohl never won the annual Hugo Award for his stewardship of Galaxy, winning three Hugos instead for its sister magazine, If. In 1969 Guinn sold Galaxy to Universal Publishing and Distribution Corporation (UPD) and Pohl resigned, to be replaced by Ejler Jakobsson. Under Jakobsson the magazine declined in quality. It recovered under James Baen, who took over in mid-1974, but when he left at the end of 1977 the deterioration resumed, and there were financial problems—writers were not paid on time and the schedule became erratic. By the end of the 1970s the gaps between issues were lengthening, and the title was finally sold to Vincent McCaffrey, who brought out just one issue in 1980. A brief revival as a semi-professional magazine followed in 1994, edited by H. L. Gold's son, E. J. Gold; this lasted for eight bimonthly issues.

At its peak, Galaxy greatly influenced in the science fiction field. It was regarded as one of the leading sf magazines almost from the start, and its influence did not wane until Pohl's departure in 1969. Gold brought a "sophisticated intellectual subtlety" to magazine science fiction according to Pohl, who added that "after Galaxy it was impossible to go on being naive."[1] SF historian David Kyle agrees, commenting that "of all the editors in and out of the post-war scene, the most influential beyond any doubt was H. L. Gold".[2] Kyle suggests that the new direction Gold set "inevitably" led to the experimental New Wave, the defining science fiction literary movement of the 1960s.

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Note: At the request of Alan Brennert, the short story "The Second Soul" has been removed from this online copy. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: Plutonium by Stephen Fabian Plutonium [2] by Stephen Fabian Plutonium [3] by Stephen Fabian The Second Soul by Freff Birthdays by Freff Birthdays [2] by Freff Birthdays [3] by Freff Showcase: Space: 1492 by Peter Starbrook Hunger On the Homestretch by Bramley Hunger On the Homestretch [2]... Topics: bart, clark, galaxy, jack, aspic, plutonium, ship, shepherd, scribe, science fiction, place votes,...

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Note: The editorial "A Cyclical Theory of Science Fiction" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: The Day Before the Revolution by Jack Gaughan Showcase (Galaxy, August 1974) by Stephen Fabian The Company of Glory (Part 1 of 3) by uncredited The Gift of Garigolli by uncredited Big Black Whole by uncredited Orbitsville (Part 3 of 3) by... Topics: garamond, demetrios, galaxy, orbitsville, abraham, tion, nuber, solitaire, yamoto, science fiction,...

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The writings of Lester Del Rey have been removed due to a request by John Betancourt of Wildside Press. Note: The novel "The White King's War" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: The White King's War by Jack Gaughan Starhunger by uncredited The Minus Effect by Jack Gaughan When They Openly Walk by Jack Gaughan Life Matter by Jack... Topics: galaxy, stilgar, lagrad, lemac, grimes, paul, copffe, alia, edric, reverend mother, dune messiah,...

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Note: The novelette "The Sharing of Flesh" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: The Sharing of Flesh by Reese The Sharing of Flesh [2] by Reese The Sharing of Flesh [3] by Reese The Sharing of Flesh [4] by Reese One Station of the Way by Holly Subway to the Stars by Jack Gaughan Subway to the Stars [2] by Jack Gaughan Subway to the... Topics: harry, tfie, galaxy, ames, paul, cyra, kosloff, willie, tke, paul kosloff, spying season, john...

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Note: The novel "A Tragedy of Errors" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: A Tragedy of Errors by Gray Morrow A Tragedy of Errors [2] by Gray Morrow A Tragedy of Errors [3] by Gray Morrow A Tragedy of Errors [4] by Gray Morrow The Planet Slummers by uncredited Crazy Annaoj by Jack Gaughan Street of Dreams, Feet of Clay by Vaughn Bodé... Topics: lew, carmody, dixit, galaxy, patel, malti, gita, olm, city, total environment, science fiction,...

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Note: The novelette "Door to Anywhere" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: Door to Anywhere by Virgil Finlay Door to Anywhere [2] by Virgil Finlay Door to Anywhere [3] by Virgil Finlay Door to Anywhere [4] by Virgil Finlay The Modern Penitentiary by Jack Gaughan The Modern Penitentiary [2] by Jack Gaughan At the Bottom of a Hole by... Topics: navarth, gersen, galaxy, viole, camiroi, nona, recreation, falushe, tion, viole falushe, recreation...

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Note: The novel "To Build a World" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: To Build a World by Gray Morrow To Build a World [2] by Gray Morrow To Build a World [3] by Gray Morrow To Build a World [4] by Gray Morrow The Man From Earth by John Giunta The Well-Trained Heroes by Jack Gaughan The Well-Trained Heroes [2] by Jack Gaughan The... Topics: pennell, howe, galaxy, hegg, khal, bettycee, sonny, rocket, bettyaye, captain hegg, ancient...

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Note: The novel "The Day After Doomsday" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: The Day After Doomsday (Part 1 of 2) by Virgil Finlay The Day After Doomsday (Part 1 of 2) [2] by Virgil Finlay The Day After Doomsday (Part 1 of 2) [3] by Virgil Finlay Oh, Rats! by Wallace Wood Oh, Rats! [2] by Wallace Wood Satisfaction Guaranteed by Jack... Topics: sollenar, galaxy, mazda, featherpenny, blahrog, ermine, andy, burr, stanley, captain nemo,...

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Note: The short story "My Object All Sublime" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: Farmer by Bob Ritter Farmer [2] by Bob Ritter The Graybes of Wrath by Don Martin A Gentle Dying by Bob Ritter The Weirdest World by Wallace Wood The Weirdest World [2] by Wallace Wood The Weirdest World [3] by Wallace Wood Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons... Topics: galaxy, johnny, gwen, battlemont, finnister, benjacomin, owling, mccord, marty, johnny mccord,...

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Note: The novelette "Innocent at Large" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. (Contents information excerpted from The Internet Speculative Fiction Database ) Art: The Back of Our Heads by Leo Dillon The Back of Our Heads [2] by Leo Dillon The Back of Our Heads [3] by Leo Dillon We Never Mention Aunt Nora by Martinez Man in a Quandary by Martinez Bullet with His Name by Leo Dillon Bullet with His Name [2] by Leo Dillon... Topics: galaxy, fiction, ernie, fletcher, science, farley, edkin, phil, man, science fiction, galaxy...

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Note: The novelette "A World Called Maanerek" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. Topics: brynne, baxter, clayton, kaiser, galaxy, fiction, science, ben, moon, science fiction, galaxy...

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Note: The short story "The Light" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson. Topics: bbulas, skkiru, galaxy, fiction, lanceford, alvarez, science, raoul, cyril, science fiction, galaxy...

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Note: The short story "The Corkscrew of Space" by Poul Anderson has been removed from this online copy at the request of the estate of Poul Anderson.favoritefavoritefavoritefavoritefavorite ( 1 reviews ) Topics: fiction, gilbert, galaxy, science, robot, gabriel, anson, carmody, lockard, science fiction, galaxy...

Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L. Gold, who rapidly made Galaxy the leading science fiction (sf) magazine of its time, focusing on stories about social issues rather than technology.

Gold published many notable stories during his tenure, including Ray Bradbury's "The Fireman", later expanded as Fahrenheit 451; Robert A. Heinlein's The Puppet Masters; and Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. In 1952, the magazine was acquired by Robert Guinn, its printer. By the late 1950s, Frederik Pohl was helping Gold with most aspects of the magazine's production. When Gold's health worsened, Pohl took over as editor, starting officially at the end of 1961, though he had been doing the majority of the production work for some time.

Under Pohl Galaxy had continued success, regularly publishing fiction by major writers such as Cordwainer Smith, Jack Vance, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Silverberg. However, Pohl never won the annual Hugo Award for his stewardship of Galaxy, winning three Hugos instead for its sister magazine, If. In 1969 Guinn sold Galaxy to Universal Publishing and Distribution Corporation (UPD) and Pohl resigned, to be replaced by Ejler Jakobsson. Under Jakobsson the magazine declined in quality. It recovered under James Baen, who took over in mid-1974, but when he left at the end of 1977 the deterioration resumed, and there were financial problems—writers were not paid on time and the schedule became erratic. By the end of the 1970s the gaps between issues were lengthening, and the title was finally sold to Vincent McCaffrey, who brought out just one issue in 1980. A brief revival as a semi-professional magazine followed in 1994, edited by H. L. Gold's son, E. J. Gold; this lasted for eight bimonthly issues.

At its peak, Galaxy greatly influenced in the science fiction field. It was regarded as one of the leading sf magazines almost from the start, and its influence did not wane until Pohl's departure in 1969. Gold brought a "sophisticated intellectual subtlety" to magazine science fiction according to Pohl, who added that "after Galaxy it was impossible to go on being naive."[1] SF historian David Kyle agrees, commenting that "of all the editors in and out of the post-war scene, the most influential beyond any doubt was H. L. Gold".[2] Kyle suggests that the new direction Gold set "inevitably" led to the experimental New Wave, the defining science fiction literary movement of the 1960s.